I am a first year MHA student at the University of Florida if anyone has any questions about that specific program.
Some typical questions and answers:
1. Do rankings matter? : No they do not. The USNews rankings is based off a subjective 5 point scale done by professors. Nothing else. No other data like job attainment rates, knowledge, specific classes taken, average salary, gpa, etc. Again I will state again, they mean literally nothing. Refer to #3
2. Does going do a higher ranked school make any difference?: No. So if you are deciding between UAB and UMich or USC vs VCU, my answer would be attend whats cheaper, and if they are the same price, go with which has better weather. Refer to #3
3. What is most important thing you should look for in a school?: My answer would be job placement lists, as in where did the last years class get jobs? This list is usually easily found on the programs website. If the program says they do not track this data, thats is a red flag and typically means the school has no network/weak alumni base, do not attend any program that does not track recent graduates and where they end up. The whole point of attending a "good" program is that old and recent alumni will hire people straight out of the program.
4. Will I get in to X program with "insert gpa, gre, extra curricular"?: I honestly cannot tell you with any certainty. Apply broadly, and do not be afraid to apply to out of state, you never know they may offer you in state tuition or a waiver of some sort. I applied to 7 schools, got into half. I think it is a gamble applying to only 1-3 programs. Applying to more then 10 is kind of overkill.
5. Last year my inbox was flooded with Indian and Chinese nationals about rankings: "Should I attend UMichigan over UMinnesota"??. Again it wont make any difference, attend the cheaper program. No one will care what school you went to after a few years of work experience, and if the school has a good network (which a ton of schools have, not just highly ranked ones) then you will have no problem getting a fellowship or entry level job at a good system. Refer to #3
6. What should I put the most effort regarding my application: I would say personal statement, spend a lot of time going over, and having different people read it. This will be the only thing in most applications to make you stand out from the pack. Everyone already has a good gpa and good gre, how are you different? etc.
7. Does doing a dual degree have any effect/or is it worth it to get (MBA/MHA) or (MHA/MPH) or any similar combo? I will say no. Programs will try to sell you on having balanced education, but these dual degrees are a cash cow for schools. They are not worth it, especially when you factor in the extra year of tuition, rent, bills, and lost opportunity cost from not working after year 2, In fact I will say if you can attend a MBA program with a good network (top 25 ranked), do not waste your time getting an MHA or MPH, the MBA will have more value on its own, and will give you the option to switch sectors later if you get tired of healthcare. For 95% of people in this thread, just get the MHA.
Thats about all I can think of for right now. PM me or ask away. Again #3 is key here, nothing else really matters.
anyways, here's mine!
